Max was about to say, "But, Francisco..." But Francisco halted him with a stern look and said, "Max, it has to be done now." The tension in the room was palpable, and all the other members were anxiously watching the exchange.

Then he looked at the other members, everyone quickly shook their heads in agreement. Liam spoke up, "Yes, Mr. Hilton is right. We are capable of doing it." He, too, shared Francisco's urgency.

Francisco, their team leader, rose and spoke with a sense of determination, "Max, we need to go in order to inspect the chemical factory."

Max, understanding the gravity of the situation, nodded before standing. They were on the brink of a crucial mission, and they couldn't afford any delay.

But suddenly, the room was disrupted by a girl's voice, a voice that did not belong to anyone from their team.

"May I come in, sir?" The unexpected interruption startled everyone in the room.

. Francisco turned his attention to the door, and as he spotted the girl, he just froze in his tracks, a bewildered expression on his face. The other team members were equally surprised by the unannounced arrival.

Liam, never one to mince words, suddenly said in an angry tone, "Did we ask you to come in?" His annoyance was evident, and he made no effort to hide it.

The girl frowned, her presence in the room becoming increasingly uncomfortable. She opened her lips to respond, her voice trembling slightly, "But, sir..."

Liam interrupted her impolitely, "We did not call anyone here. It's a break time." His irritation with the unexpected intrusion was growing by the second.

"But, sir," she was about to say, her words almost a whisper, but her eyes widened as she witnessed what Francisco did next. His reaction was beyond anyone's expectations.

When Liam treated her rudely, Francisco's reaction was unexpected and intense. He reached for Liam's collar, his fingers gripping the fabric with an ironclad strength, and lifted him off the ground.

"Sir!" Liam's shock and fear were evident as he let out a gasp, his eyes widening with panic.

"Francis!" Max, their voice of reason, exclaimed, dashing towards Francisco, desperate to intervene.

Max tried to loosen Francisco's hold on Liam, but it was clear that Francisco was driven by a force beyond reason, and his grip remained unyielding. Liam struggled to breathe, gasping for air as he dangled from Francisco's grasp.

The girl who had interrupted the proceedings, still shocked by the unfolding events, found her voice and spoke out, "What is going on? Please stop it."

"Mr., kindly let him go. He will die," she implored Francisco, her voice trembling with worry for Liam.

"Stop it, Francis," Max repeated, his voice filled with urgency and frustration. He continued his attempts to pry Francisco's fingers from Liam's collar.

Francisco slowly released his grip on Liam as he heard her voice, a voice that had the power to momentarily quell the heated confrontation. He muttered to Liam, "Say sorry to her now."

Liam, who had been struggling to catch his breath and regain his composure, nodded and turned to face the girl, his voice contrite, "I... I am sorry."

She, however, surprised everyone with her response, turning her attention to Liam and saying, "No, sir, why are you saying sorry to me? Actually, I am sorry. I think there is a misunderstanding. In the future, I ought to be more cautious."

She seemed ready to walk away, attempting to put an end to the tense situation, but Francisco's furious glance at Liam stop her tracks.

"Wait," Liam immediately said, his voice more composed and respectful this time.

The girl turned back, curious about the sudden change in the atmosphere. Max, who had been observing the unfolding drama with a knowing smile, finally spoke up, "Ms., kindly take a seat."

Max's understanding of the situation ran deeper than anyone had anticipated, and a smirk cracked on his face as he looked at the girl's profile.

He had understood why Francisco had reacted so strongly to her presence.

"Ms. Hazel."

Hazel sat down in front of the team with a welcoming smile, breaking the lingering tension in the room. "Hello."

"Hello, Ms. Hazel," Max replied, offering a polite nod. He then turned his attention to Francisco, who appeared to be momentarily lost in Hazel's presence.

Max cleared his throat and spoke, aware that their personal history was adding a layer of complexity to the meeting, "Umm… meet our CFO."

The CFO, a composed and experienced member of the team, gave Hazel a warm but professional smile.

Max continued with the introductions, taking the responsibility for easing the atmosphere and returning to the purpose of their gathering. "Allow me to introduce everyone, Ms. Hazel. These are the key members of our team."

He began with a brief introduction of each team member, including their roles and expertise, but the moment of truth came when he said, "And the CEO of this company is Francisco Hilton."

Francisco's eyes remained locked with Hazel's as the room fell into a hushed silence.

She addressed Francisco with a tone of respect, "I am sorry, sir. I should not have talked to you loudly."

She felt a mixture of nervousness and uncertainty, worried that her impulsive behavior might have consequences.

Hazel's initial perception of Francisco Hilton as the CEO had been far from what she expected. He appeared more like a model than a CEO, exuding an aura of youth and attractiveness. The half-open button on his shirt and rolled-up sleeves had given the impression that he was flaunting his well-toned physique, an image more commonly associated with the fashion world than the boardroom.

'Of course a CEO wouldn't approach his company in this way. He appeared to be a model,' Hazel thought, her assumptions clouded by the shock of the unexpected reunion.

Hazel began to explain herself, attempting to alleviate the tension in the room. "It's my fault. In fact, Mr. Hilton, you had his neck in such a tight grip that he was unable to breathe normally. So I expressed myself in a rude way..."

As she spoke, Francisco tilted his head, considering her words. But before Hazel could finish her sentence, he abruptly interrupted her with a firm command, "Get out, everyone."

To be continued.